chased winner and not fluent, ridden before last, kept on and no impression
made all, clear before last, kept on well
unseated rider start
NonRunner
Virnon defied several errors to chase home Craiganboy at Ayr and a better round of jumping would see him difficult to beat. Stage One, a winning point-to-pointer, has been making steady progress over hurdles and has always looked like making a chaser. This isn't the most difficult of starts but NEVER UP, a winner on the Flat and over hurdles, came here last week and gained his first success over fences. He has a 7lb penalty to contend with but battled on strongly that day and can go in again. Radsoc De Sivola has had 42 starts over fences without winning and has no chance at the weights unless his rivals come to grief.
Virnon 4-1 (11-8) Prominent and mistakes, led 3 out, headed 2 out, blundered last, kept on to take 2nd place towards finish, 2nd of 6, 2 1/2l behind Craiganboy (10-13) at Ayr 2m 2f hcp (4) hvy in Feb.
Never Up (GER) 5-2fav (11-4) Led until 2nd, chased leaders, 2nd 4 out, pushed along before 3 out, ridden to challenge 2 out, soon hung left, ridden last, led narrowly run-in, driven to hold on, all out, won at Southwell 2m hcp (4) gs in Feb beating Unzing (11-12) by hd, 6 ran.
Radsoc De Sivola (FR) 80-1 (10-12) Whipped around and refused to race, at Market Rasen 2m 3f (4) gd in Jun.
Stage One (IRE) 13-2 (11-5) Mid-division, headway approaching 2 out, 3rd before last, stayed on same pace flat, 3rd of 15, 4 1/4l behind Matchaway (11-13) at Hereford 2m hcp (4) sft in Jan.
